Generations and Value Orientations

Abstract

The first part of this article deals with the uses of the concept of generation in the historical and social sciences. Following Mannheim’s approach, generations are conceived as produced by the differential impact of socio-cultural change on different age cohorts. The concept of “crucial event” in the biography of individuals is discussed in the light of developmental social psychology. Specific attention is devoted to the methodological problems in researching generations. The second part is devoted to the literature on political generations and to answering the question of whether and how 1989 and 11 September 2001 are producing generational phenomena in contemporary advanced countries.

All I'm askin' is for a little respect1: How can we promote civility in our classrooms?

“…Each generation's common past and unique critical incidents give its members a shared culture (Pilcher, 1994; see also Schuman and Scott, 1989). Adding a developmental psychology component to the sociological conceptualization of generations, Cavalli (2004) asserts ''the situations in which young people first experience the world serve to model and shape the basic structures of consciousness'' (p. 158). Arsenault (2004) discusses the importance of generational cultural differences and McGuire et al (2007), Patota et al (2007), and Jenkins (2008) highlight the need to manage intergenerational diversity.…”

The Cognitive Mobilization Index

“…We have found some studies that discuss the phenomenon of political socialization by linking the period and cohort effects, such as the works by Cavalli (2004), Hooghe (2004), Hadjar and Beck. As stated by Hooghe, In this view, primary socialisation experiences tend to produce persistent effects, which are only marginally influenced by later socialisation experiences.…”

Media and Generations in Portugal

“…Besides this affinity on a more material and infrastructural level, media can participate at the symbolic level in this process of mediating forms of collective memory, while also promoting generational identities [18,77]. This is even more relevant, especially with "fresh contact" amid the formative stages of the life course, such as the years of late adolescence and youth [9,78]. Therefore, there is theoretical basis supporting the fact that childhood and adolescence are fundamental stages at the beginning of media socialisation and media biographies [77], which can shape future patterns of media domestication and literacy [18], as well as promote media nostalgia [79,80].…”